Hi all, posted this in the intro section but didn't get any feedback so figured I'd try here too

I'm in the process of buying a 2011 Mustang GT 6 speed manual w/premium and wanted to introduce myself/ask a few questions since I know forums are a great place to get info. I'm coming out of a bmw 340i, my last few cars have been various turbo bmws 335/340 (all manual) etc. and i've been pretty active on the bmw forums and have learned a lot in the process so hoping for the same here. Anyone who's driven both an s197 (preferably the 5.0) and also a 335/340 and can compare? My 340i was tuned so it had tons of low end torque but I'm hoping the mustang can match it on a fun to drive level. I've had an extensive drive in a 2016 GT350 before so i'm hoping the GT can provide similar levels of fun

Anything to look for as far as maintenance on these? The one I'm picking up has 26,000 miles and has had regular oil/filter changes and new tires but that seems to be about it. I would get a PPI done before purchase

It has the Ford Racing Cat-back exhaust on it so I'm thinking the only things I'd like to add are steeda's tune and CAI and possibly springs eventually

Also, from what I can gather the 2011 has halogen headlights, anyone have any experience with these? https://www.steeda.com/morimoto-s197-xb-led-54557
Or any other suggestions would be welcome

 

The 2011 GT will be a fun car, but it won't be the same as the 2016 GT350 you drove. 5.0L 412 HP, solid axle vs 5.2L 526 HP, IRS. Still, the GT is a fine car. I've enjoyed my 2013 GT and just perform routine maintenance on it.

 

Well I don't know about the BMW, but I love driving my 13 GT Brembo pkg.. I've only added a Rousch chin spoiler and a California Special deck spoiler so far. There are some suspension mods I'd like to make, like a Watts link, lowering spring, adjustable dampers, and sway bars, but it's still fun as is.

 

You can definitely expect the fun-to-drive to be as high or higher than your Bimmer; it should be faster and definitely make better noise. You're also going to notice a lot of brake dive and a bit of rough/bouncy action from the solid rear axle. It will definitely not be as fast or refined as the GT350 you drove - honestly, driving that thing was a bad idea if you were planning to buy something older/cheaper like a previous generation GT. I love my car but it's no GT350.

Also on the positive side, you're going to find the Mustang a reliable vehicle with pretty low cost of maintenance, especially compared to the insanity of BMWs. I've got one of the highest mileage 5.0's on here (142,000 miles) and it's had zero problems with the powertrain. The big costs I've incurred have been from bad power seat motors and a bad evaporator core. Unfortunately, the power seats in these cars seem to crap out more often than normal and, even more unfortunately, the cost for the part alone is $700+ and over $1,000 with labor. So, check those power seats before you buy.

Good luck with the purchase and welcome!

 

Or you could buy mine which has all the things you want to do already done plus more!

https://themustangsource.com/forums/...8/#post7035269

 

@5.M0NSTER if you weren't so far away I might take you up on that. Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

no worries JoeB, welcome to the forums. They are great cars. What's your plans for the Stang? Daily? Weekend warrior? Auto X?

 

I have a Jetta that I drive to work (can't beat 45mpg) and I plan to use the Mustang for everything else, weekends and etc. Always wanted to do Auto X but never got the chance to so I'd like to look a little more into that too

 

One thing you might encounter, as I have with my 2011 (not a GT but...) is the HVAC actuators may go bad. It starts with a knocking noise from inside the dashboard on startup (5 or six knocks) and will knock again when changing the vent function. I've had 2, of 4 go bad so far. All repaired under an extended warranty I purchased, but cost at a dealer repair center is about $200.00 for the job. The part itself is a $20.00 part and probably not too hard to change as a DIY job.

 

2011 was the first year of the 5.0 and MT82 transmission. There were some clutch/shifting problems with the early cars. Mine is a later build and I haven't had any real problems, but changing the shifter to MGW and fluid to Redline MTL did improve the shifting quite a bit. The Steeda CAI and tune do make a difference how these cars feel. If you are planning on springs in the future make sure you do shocks/struts at the same time. This will help with the brake dive and keeping the car level and poised. Good luck with the purchase and welcome to the forum.

 

Yeah, that's another - I've had two of those go bad too. Cheap part but so difficult to get to because of how they're jammed into the dash.

 

I have had mine one year.....bought it used...one owner / 10,000 miles...automatic
drives great....plenty of power....comfortable, blue tooth.....love it!

 

Same thing with my 11 GT. Replaced one. Now another is going...Also just watch the AC in general. I have a very slow leak somehere in the system. An AC recharge kit from Autozone at the beginning of the summer keeps it blowing cold, but I may be running on borrowed time. 50k seems to be the magic number for the compressors in these things.

Also nice find! I thought my 11 was low miles (50k). Bought it with 15K in 2014